Jas Sum Kral releases Munchies

Flavored or infused cigars are a huge part of the cigar industry, yet many connoisseurs of traditional cigars despise them. And when you ask them why, the answer often boils down to the chemical taste of the sweetened wrapper and the overdose of flavoring, masking the poor quality of tobacco and the real tobacco flavor.

Jas Sum Kral owner Riste Ristevski decided to tackle the issue. A premium handmade cigar with quality tobacco but with enhanced flavors. Flavors that don’t overpower or mask the taste of great tobacco, and without the chemical taste of a sweetened wrapper.

The Jas Sum Kral Munchies are made at Tabacalera Aragon in Esteli, Nicaragua with a Mexican San Andres wrapper. The binder and filler remain a company secret. The first release is the JSK Munchies Rocky Road, but other enhancements will soon follow. Until all are released, the Munchies are only available online via the JSK website. The cigars come in a resealable five-pack with an MSRP of $40. The cigars will debut at the annual Ristefari event at the Golden Leaf in Hobart, Indiana. The event takes place on March 12.

 A few of the enhancements to follow are Banana Cream Fosters, Crunch Berry Cereal, and Nuttela. But it won’t end there, Jas Sum Kral has more surprising flavors planned. Stay tuned, stay hungry.

Protocol Bass Reeves Maduro (6 x 52 Box Pressed)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

At the 2021 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Protocol Cigars will launch the third installment of its Lawman Series, the Protocol Bass Reeves. Like the other installments, the Protocol Bass Reeves will have a natural and maduro offering along with its traditional, refined, and regal packaging.

The Protocol Lawmen Series pays homage to those men and women in law enforcement who work hard fighting criminals. Protocol Bass Reeves follows the Protocol Sir Robert Peel and Protocol Eliot Ness releases. Bass Reeves was one of the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshals in history. According to Protocol Cigars, Bass Reeves arrested 3,000 criminals during his long career in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory, In 1875 he was sworn in as a U.S. Deputy Marshal.

“Bass Reeves was the inspiration for The Lone Ranger and we tried to incorporate that into the design of the packaging. We added a white horse and incorporated silver into the design on the vista because The Lone Ranger’s horse was named silver. We can not think of a more deserving historical law enforcement figure to get a cigar in their honor!” Said Kevin Keithan, co-owner of Protocol Cigars in a press release.

One thing that is different is while the Sir Robert Peel and Eliot Ness Natural offerings utilized Habano wrapper, the Bass Reeves Natural will feature a Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper – marking the first time a Sumatra wrapper is being used on a core Protocol offering. The Bass Reeves Maduro features a Dark Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. Both the Bass Reeves Natural and Maduro feature Nicaraguan binder and filler. Each cigar is a 6 x 52 box-pressed. Production comes from the San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. The cigars are presented in ten-count boxes. Pricing is set at $119.50 per box for both the Natural and Maduro.

“Bass Reeves was blended with tobacco leaves from the different growing regions of Nicaragua. Both were blended to have incredible taste and balance. The maduro is a dark habano with sweet subtleness. The natural is a nutty sumatra with a delicious underlying spice note.” Added Hector Alfonso Sr. Espinosa’s Master Blender.

Juan Cancel added, “We are proud to feature Bass Reeves as the newest addition to the Lawmen Series. I feel it truly shows the diversity of the law enforcement community as a whole, that men and women from all races and ethnicities come together to serve the public at large.”

Today we look at the maduro.

Bass Reeves Maduro

Wrapper: Nicaragua Dark Habano

Blinder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: San Lotano

Vitola:

6 x 52 Box Pressed

Like all the cigars in this series it is well made. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were interesting; cedar, apricot, a lot of black coffee, nutmeg, light citrus peel, and dry cocoa. There was good black pepper rated at 8+. Dark noted with some sweetness. Nice start.

At the first third (34 minutes) the notes were apricot, light cedar, light citrus, brown sugar, dry cocoa, dry nutmeg, a little toffee, and black coffee. A lot of flavors going on! The finish is toffee, black coffee, and a little nutmeg with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied but seems to be leaning toward medium to full. The cigar is tasty with dark notes and a lot of varied sweeter notes. It is a little more interesting than the natural version. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (59 minutes) the black coffee is really coming out. At this point I had light apricot, light citrus peel, brown sugar, toffee, and elevated black coffee. I didn't have the cocoa notes anymore. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is toffee, black coffee, and a little nutmeg with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar got a little darker. I rated the second third 93.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 17 minutes. About 10 minutes longer than the natural version. The flavors condensed into 4 in the final third; light apricot, toffee, light dry nutmeg, and black coffee. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is toffee, black coffee, and very good lingering black pepper. The black pepper is just about as good in this cigar as it was in the natural version. The cigar jumped in strength and condensed in flavors. In my opinion this is a little better cigar than the natural, which was so heavy on dry nutmeg. I rated the final third 93. Good cigar.

Overall Score: 93.33

Protocol Bass Reeves Natural (6 x 52 Box Pressed)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

At the 2021 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Protocol Cigars will launch the third installment of its Lawman Series, the Protocol Bass Reeves. Like the other installments, the Protocol Bass Reeves will have a natural and maduro offering along with its traditional, refined, and regal packaging.

The Protocol Lawmen Series pays homage to those men and women in law enforcement who work hard fighting criminals. Protocol Bass Reeves follows the Protocol Sir Robert Peel and Protocol Eliot Ness releases. Bass Reeves was one of the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshals in history. According to Protocol Cigars, Bass Reeves arrested 3,000 criminals during his long career in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory, In 1875 he was sworn in as a U.S. Deputy Marshal.

“Bass Reeves was the inspiration for The Lone Ranger and we tried to incorporate that into the design of the packaging. We added a white horse and incorporated silver into the design on the vista because The Lone Ranger’s horse was named silver. We can not think of a more deserving historical law enforcement figure to get a cigar in their honor!” Said Kevin Keithan, co-owner of Protocol Cigars in a press release.

One thing that is different is while the Sir Robert Peel and Eliot Ness Natural offerings utilized Habano wrapper, the Bass Reeves Natural will feature a Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper – marking the first time a Sumatra wrapper is being used on a core Protocol offering. The Bass Reeves Maduro features a Dark Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. Both the Bass Reeves Natural and Maduro feature Nicaraguan binder and filler. Each cigar is a 6 x 52 box-pressed. Production comes from the San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. The cigars are presented in ten-count boxes. Pricing is set at $119.50 per box for both the Natural and Maduro.

“Bass Reeves was blended with tobacco leaves from the different growing regions of Nicaragua. Both were blended to have incredible taste and balance. The maduro is a dark habano with sweet subtleness. The natural is a nutty sumatra with a delicious underlying spice note.” Added Hector Alfonso Sr. Espinosa’s Master Blender.

Juan Cancel added, “We are proud to feature Bass Reeves as the newest addition to the Lawmen Series. I feel it truly shows the diversity of the law enforcement community as a whole, that men and women from all races and ethnicities come together to serve the public at large.”

Today we look at the natural.

Bass Reeves Natural

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: San Lotano

Vitola:

6 x 52 Box Pressed

Like all the cigars in this series it is well made. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were citrus, dry cedar, brown sugar, cinnamon, toffee, light nutmeg, and leather. There was a tremendous amount of black pepper rated at 8 to 8 1/2. A nice start bur there are a lot of dry notes.

At the first third (25 minutes) the dry notes continue. The citrus, cedar, and toffee are slightly decreased. But now there is a lot of dry nutmeg. It's in abundance. There is also quite a bit of leather. There is now light black coffee at the base. I haven't had this much dry nutmeg in a cigar in a long time. The finish is toffee and a little dry nutmeg with very good lingering black pepper. The black pepper on the front end is still around 8. The cigar is medium bodied. The profile of the cigar is dry and peppery. The sweeter notes are very nice but you have a lot of dry nutmeg. I rated the first third 93 because it's still quite tasty even with all that dry nutmeg.

Moving through the second third (48 minutes) the cigar continued the dry notes. In this third the nutmeg didn't really increase but the citrus notes seemed to drop off. There is still some cedar and toffee. There is still quite a bit of dry nutmeg and leather with a light black coffee base. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is nutmeg, light leather, and a drop or two of toffee with very good lingering black pepper. I rated the second third 92.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 6 minutes. It's still quite dry. But, the citrus notes made a small comeback. There is still a ton of dry nutmeg with some leather and a light black coffee base. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is toffee, a little leather, and very good lingering black pepper. This is, even with all the dry nutmeg, a good cigar. I enjoyed it but if it didn't have so much dry nutmeg it would have scored much higher. I held the score of 92 for the final third.

Overall Score: 92.33

Serino Taino The 44 (5 1/2 x 44)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com and Halfwheel.com websites)

As the name indicates, the cigar pays homage to the Taíno Native American people. The Tainos were based in the Caribbean (most notably on the island of Hispaniola) and were the oldest to cultivate and consume tobacco leaves.

Taino consists of an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper Corojo ’99 binder from Condega, Nicaragua and filler tobaccos from three regions in Nicaragua: Estelí, Ometepe and Jalapa. The cigars will be released in available in ten-count boxes in three sizes: Robusto, Corona Gorda, and Toro. Production is being handled out of the La Corona factory in Estelí, Nicaragua owned by Omar González Alemán.

Early in 2021, Serino Cigar Co. sent a 5 1/2 x 44 corona version of its Taíno line to CigarClub.com; now that cigar is the newest regular production size of the Taíno line.

The Taíno The 44 is the same cigar that was released to CigarClub.com, a corona version of the Taíno blend: an Ecuadorian habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It has an MSRP of $8 per cigar and is being sold in boxes of 20.

The one change is that the CigarClub.com versions carried a secondary band indicating that they were made for CigarClub.com. That secondary band has been omitted.

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo 99

Filler: Nicaraguan (Estelí, Ometepe, Jalapa)

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: La Corona S.A.

Vitolas Offered

Robusto: 5 x 50

Corona Gorda: 6 x 46 

Toro: 6 x 52

The 44: 5 1/2 x 44 REVIEWED TODAY

The cigar looks nice and has an average feel in the hand. It has a closed foot.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good considering it has a closed foot. The initial flavors at light up were sweet, tangy citrus, cedar, and apricot, cinnamon, toffee, and slightly earthy leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. A very nice start.

At the first third (18 minutes) the cigar is about like it started. The only change is a slight elevation of the earthy leather. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is apricot and light leather with good lingering black pepper. The citrus/apricot mix is very nice and tangy. I rated the first third 93.

Moving through the second third (41 minutes) the same notes are present but the earthy leather is still moving up slowly. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is quite a bit of the earthy leather and some apricot with very good lingering black pepper. I rated the second third 92.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 4 minutes. A pretty good burn time for a short cigar. Primarily I had apricot, very light toffee, nutmeg, and earthy leather, which kept slowing rising. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is nutmeg, leather, and light apricot with very good lingering black pepper. The black pepper on the front end seemed to increase over the course of the cigar. The continued elevating earthy leather caused the score to dip to a 91. Overall this is a tasty cigar.

Overall Score: 92

CLUB MACANUDO OPENS NEW LOCATION IN KUALA LUMPUR

Club Macanudo has opened its first location in Southeast Asia, with the launch of Club Macanudo Kuala Lumpur.

Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s upscale shopping and entertainment district of Jalan Ampang, and just steps away from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, the new Club Macanudo location is part of The Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, a stunning retail mall that caters to locals and visitors with discerning taste.

The elegantly-appointed, intimate cigar lounge is sleek and modern, designed in a minimalistic style. The interior of Club Macanudo at Kuala Lumpur boasts a smoking lounge, private VIP rooms and retail space with rich woods, lush upholstery and bespoke lighting that casts a golden glow throughout the space.

The Club’s retail selection has been curated to feature a collection of Macanudo cigars including the popular Inspirado line, a global best-seller for the brand. Club Macanudo Kuala Lumpur also stocks a selection of Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s most popular brands including CAO, Silencio, Balmoral and Don Tomas.

Regis Broersma, senior vice president of Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s (STG) North America Branded and Rest of World Division and president of General Cigar said, “With the opening of Club Macanudo at Kuala Lumpur, we are celebrating Macanudo’s global appeal and reiterating our enduring commitment to the handmade cigar category. Just as we have done with our flagship Club Macanudo location in New York City, we continue to invest in opportunities that provide cigar smokers with occasions for indulging in their passion for handmade cigars.”

In addition to Club Macanudo Kuala Lumpur and Club Macanudo New York, STG also operates a Macanudo-branded, luxury retail shop and cigar lounge in Copenhagen called “Cigar Shop Macanudo.”

Drew Estate Introduces 20 Acre Farm Corona Cigar Co. 25th Anniversary Belicoso

To celebrate Corona Cigar Co.’s 25th Anniversary, Drew Estate is adding a Belicoso (7 x 54) to its newly released “20 Acre Farm” brand. Available exclusively at Corona Cigar Co., the 20 Acre Farm Corona Cigar Co. 25th Anniversary Belicoso will debut during a marquee event on March 3.

Corona Cigar Co.’s owner, Jeff Borysiewicz, is also a tobacco farmer who singlehandedly revived cigar tobacco growing in Florida ... one harvest at a time ... on his pristine 20-acre plot of land near Orlando. Jeff dubbed his tobacco “Florida Sun Grown,” and this opulent and majestic leaf takes center stage in Drew Estate’s 20 Acre Farm cigars. Complex and medium-bodied, 20 Acre Farm is crafted with a velvety Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade Grown wrapper, a Sun Grown Habano binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos from Estelí and Jalapa, coupled with Florida Sun Grown leaf to produce a cigar with super oaky and cedary notes along with a whisper of white pepper and a hint of citrus.

Drew Estate introduced 20 Acre Farm cigars in November 2021. Packaged in 20-count boxes, 20 Acre Farm first launched in three vitolas: Toro (6 x 52), Robusto (5 1⁄4 x 54) and Gordito (6 x 60). The Corona Cigar Co. 25th Anniversary Belicoso is the first addition to the original 20 Acre Farm lineup.

“My farm team and I worked years to massage the soil to produce a tobacco that’s flavorful, intense and aromatic,” Jeff says. “The hard work has been rewarded by Drew Estate showcasing Florida Sun Grown tobacco as a key component in its 20 Acre Farms cigars. I’m very proud that it chose to make the Belicoso vitola exclusively for Corona Cigar Co.’s 25th Anniversary. Our customers can join our 25th Anniversary celebration by enjoying 20 Acre Farm in a format that accentuates the cigar’s sophisticated smoking characteristics.”

“20 Acre Farm is a milestone achievement in Drew Estate’s history,” adds Drew Estate Founder and President, Jonathan Drew. “This ultra-premium cigar pays homage to the famed Cuban cigars of yesteryear as well as Florida’s cigar and tobacco heritage. This very special Belicoso is our strong statement of love and support for what Jeff, Tanya, and Team have achieved, and for their contributions to the premium cigar industry. I look forward to being at the farm with you lunatics during Barn Smoker in May. Gonna be amped.”

Only available at Corona Cigar Co., the 20 Acre Farm Corona Cigar Co. 25th Anniversary Belicoso is packaged in 20-count boxes and has an MSRP of $280/box or $14/cigar.

United Cigars releases 2022 Byron Limited Edition Humidor Selection by Nelson Alfonso of Selected Tobacco

Vintage is a term that is at times misunderstood, yet when Nelson Alfonso of Selected Tobacco releases blends with 5 years of post-roll age decorated by a uniquely designed humidor the term is fitting.

This edition of Byron humidors is limited to one size in each blend, with only 5,000 cigars rolled for each century; the Byron cigar line has a century interpretation for any cigar enthusiast. The numbered humidors are limited to 200 of each Byron 19th Century Grand Poemas, 20th Century Habaneros and 21st Century Elegantes, standing out from their series as they are only available once a year in numbered humidors. The Byron line adopted its name in 1850 by honoring the famous British poet Lord Byron. Today the line has become an elegant journey in smoke for any cigar lover. The Nelson Alfonso is recognized worldwide for his packaging artistry and his creative eye never blinks when it comes to creating beauty for his own lines of Atabey, Byron and Bandolero. This year’s edition for Byron is limited to 200 lacquered, French White Oak lined humidors with embossed hinges, temperature gauge, hygrometer, and push button closure.

Byron 19th Century Grand Poemas – 2016 Vintage (Aged 5 Years Post-Roll)

Size: 6 x 56

Wrapper: Ecuadorian

Binder: Undisclosed

Filler: Undisclosed, Nicaraguan, Peruvian

Byron 20th Century Habanero – 2016 Vintage (Aged 5 Years Post-Roll)

Size: 6 x 54

Wrapper: Ecuadorian

Binder: Undisclosed

Filler: Undisclosed, Dominican, Peruvian

Byron 21st Century Elegantes – 2017 Vintage (Aged 4 Years Post-Roll)

Size: 6 1/8 x 55

Wrapper: Ecuadorian

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Undisclosed, Peruvian

Byron Humidors, complete with 25 aged cigars will have an MSRP of $875 or $35 per cigar when sold as individual cigars. Byron Limited Edition Humidors are currently shipping to United Cigar Retailers.

Black Label Trading Company (BLTC) is releasing MEMENTO MORI in three vitolas

Black Label Trading Company (BLTC) is releasing MEMENTO MORI in three vitolas to select retailers early next month. Memento Mori is hand crafted at Fabrica Oveja Negra in Esteli, Nicaragua.

MEMENTO MORI is symbolic of the inevitability of death and serves as a reminder tomorrow is not promised. Live life today.

"Memento Mori is exactly what you envision when you think of a Black Label Trading Co. cigar. From its appearance to its flavor profile, this cigar is all about the darkness. The Memento Mori started as a factory exclusive, and I loved it so much, I wanted to release it to the general public. The flavor profile is bold, rich, earthy, with notes of dried dark fruits and bitter cocoa. The retrohale brings the spice with white pepper, and cinnamon on the finish. Overall, this cigar is the perfect balance between strength and complexity," says James Brown, creator of BLTC and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

MEMENTO MORI

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf

Binder: Ecuador Habano

Filler: Nicaraguan

Robusto – 5 x 50 (20 count) MSRP $11.00

Corona – 5.5 x 42 (20 count) MSRP $10.50

Lonsdale – 6.5 x 46 (20 count) MSRP $12.00

Serino Royale Maduro XX Robusto (5 1/8 x 48)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

Serino Cigar Company is run by industry veteran Tony Serino. For over two decades, Serino has worked in the industry importing and selling premium bundle cigars. With the Serino Royale line, Serino unveils his own super premium line. To produce this line, Serino has teamed up with Omar Gonzalez Aleman of La Corona Cigars S.A.. Gonzalez is the former head director of the La Corona Factory in Havana.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro (Habano 2000 seed)

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Esteli, Nicaragua; Jalapa, Nicargua (Aged Five Years)

Country of Origin: Nicaragua (La Corona SA)

Vitolas Available

The Serino Royale Maduro XX is available in four sizes. Each are packaged in 20 count boxes.

Sublime 6 1/4 x 54 (Reviewed 8/5/17)

Toro: 6 x 52

Belicoso: 5 1/4 x 52

Robusto: 5 1/8 x 48 REVIEWED TODAY

For a robusto the cigar has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were a sweet, tangy  apricot, brown sugar, light cinnamon, semi-sweet chocolate, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. A very sweet start with nice lower level notes.

At the first third (25 minutes) the ash was still intact. The apricot is extremely sweet. The chocolate and black coffee notes are rather light. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is apricot and light chocolate with good lingering black pepper. I love the sweet apricot. Add in nice brown sugar and you have a nice, sweet cigar. I rated the first third 94.

Moving through the second third (48 minutes) there was a decrease in the nice, sweet apricot. I don't really have the chocolate notes any more. But there is more of an earthy coffee and it has increased. There is also some nutmeg in a rather high amount. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is light apricot and nutmeg with good lingering black pepper. The cigar lost a little in this third. I rated the second third 92.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 5 minutes. In the final third there was a small increase in the apricot and the chocolate notes returned in a low amount. The nutmeg and earthy black coffee was still very much in play. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is unchanged. This cigar is pretty good. The first third is amazing. If you haven't tried Serino Cigars you might want to look into them. I held the score of 92 for the final third.

Overall Score: 92.67